Saving Katniss
by theworldisnotending
Summary: I will save her. She is my Katniss. She is broken and unreachable, but I will save her and ignite the girl on fire once more.
1. Chapter 1

Everyday I try to win her back. Everyday I think about her. The way hatred takes over her stormy grey eyes when she sees Primrose's. When she runs in the morning with her hair in a delicate braid. Brown tendrils slip out making me want to run my fingers through them. Her muscles tensing up whenever she about to release an arrow at her next meal. I will win her over, then I can tell her all these things everyday. I will get Katniss Everdeen to love me again.

It has been a little less than a year since the revolution has ended. All the excitement has died over the new rule and people have gone back to work but without so much fear. Most people had gone back to their old jobs after getting the go ahead from our new president. Some had still been stuck inside mourning over their lost family and friends. That had been my dear Katniss for the first 8 months after the rebellion.

*****************************************After Katniss Kills Coin**************************************

After killing President Coin, Katniss had be taken into custody. She sat there everyday looking at the blank white wall. Everyday, the guards would bring her food and try to ask her some questions, but she just stared at that blank white wall. Her eyes filled with confusion and sadness. Sometimes when I would watch her, to make sure she was okay, I would she a rogue tear slip down her round cheek. I would sit there for hours outside her cell just watching her look into space. I could see the battle within herself through her eyes. Watching her lose herself made me cry. Finally after a month of being behind locked bars, Katniss was released under the idea that she was mentally unstable and was to return to District 12.

A few days after Haymitch returned with Katniss to District 12, I grabbed my few belongings and made my way back home to District 12. Upon arrival, I became witness to a depressing scene. I walked through what was left of the town and saw a person carting a wagon full of skulls. I tried to walk over as many cracks as I could and swerve around bigger piles of rubble. Slowly I arrived at the untouched Victor Village. It was a sick sign of symbolism, how Snow had left his victor's village untouched while the rest of the District lay in destruction and horror.

Trying to mask my utter disgust I walked through the pristine gates towards my old living quarters. My prosthetic acted up as limped through the wreck town square. Twenty more lagging steps and I was on my front porch. It was still white and larger than anything I had visited, let alone lived in, my entire life. It made me feel a slight comfort. I looked over my shoulder across the street at a house that looked exactly like mine. But it was different, oh so different. That's where my Katniss lived. Thats where she would cry, break things, lash out, and be silent. She would also have loving memories of her family. It was her haven.

I walked inside the house with my bag over my shoulders. The door was unlocked and I dropped my things. I just stared at my house. Everything was in the same place. My painting of an orange sunset still hung on the wall that held all my jackets. The old leather couch still sat in the living room. The painting of the forest looming over the fireplace. I had Katniss describe her favorite things of the forest. She told of how different things moved and that the forest held different shades of her favorite color. That was before we were shipped of to the quarter quell, before everything went up in flames. What surprised me the most was there was not a spot of dust in the house, wait excuse me I mean _my_ house. I assume since they opened up the District to the public again they had a maid come clean the houses to create new jobs. I went through the kitchen to see if there was any food. After I grabbed some old crackers and a water, I picked up my bag and went up stairs.

Walking up the stairs took awhile, since my leg was still hurting. I reached my old room which hadn't changed just like the rest of the house and I got my belongings out of my bag. A few pairs of clothes, a small sketch of Katniss, the pearl she gave me in the arena, and the token Effie had given us. Slipping into fresh clothes and putting the small pearl into my pocket, I decided to go over to Haymitch's for a visit.

I walked towards Haymitch's house that sat towards the end of the village. His house needed some serious care taking. White paint was slowing peeling from the sides of the house, rot was setting in on the porch, and the windows seemed to be hanging on to their last hinge. I told myself to come by and fix the house up when I had a chance. I was careful to walk up the front steps of the porch for fear of falling through. I walked in without knocking, being reminded of the familiar place. "Haymitch! Are you awake or am I going to have to pour a pitcher of water on you?" I yelled with a slight smirk on my face.

He staggered in with a bottle of spirits in his grasp. "Boy what you yelling for?" he said in a sarcastic tone as he fell into a loose embrace with me. After a few seconds of hugging he pulled me at arms length and said "Boy what took you so long? Some girl got your attention back in 13?" He smirked while talking, knowing that was no girl in 13 had caught my attention.

"Haymitch, it's been a week since you guys moved from 13. I thought I moved pretty fast for a guy with a fake leg. And you know I have them lined up around the block." We went and sat down on his cracked leather couch. You could smell stale liquor wafting up from it when you sat down. But this was Haymitch's house and the smell was comforting.

"So anything new happen in 12?" I asked casually.

"Not really, some people have come to help bring 12 back to its old state. They have part of the town square cleaned up, but there is still a lot of work to be done before its back to normal. Anything new from 13 or anything of the other Districts?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"Nope. Except for when I left Johana had moved back to 7 and Gale had moved to 4. But that is pretty much it." I didn't scowl as much as I used to when I said Gale's name aloud.

Haymitch just nodded and looked towards the window. "You wanna know how the girl's doing huh?"

I nodded my head looking down slightly embarrassed. "Frankly she's not doing well at all. All day she still in that chair and just looks out at the window. She doesn't move. There are some Primroses outside, and she fell over crying when she first saw them. I have to go over there to make sure she is eating. She is just swallowed up with pity." Haymitch said this with the most human emotion I've ever seen from him. He looked torn trying to figure out how to help her.

"I'm going to save her. I swear. I will make her feel happy, wanted, and special. I will help her remember those she has lost, but not disappear into a pit of despair! I will get her to love me with all her heart. I swear I will love her forever and always." And that was the day I decided that I would be Katniss's savior and in the process she would save me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry guys for not posting the second chapter for a really long time. I lost inspiration for awhile but after revisiting I decided to keep going with this story. Please review and thank you for taking the time to read. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 2

" Boy I know you will. Just tread lightly here she is extremely fragile right now. And you know I wouldn't even say that if she was a little crazy." Haymitch lectured me.

" Oh come on Haymitch, I already know that." I said grinning at his seriousness.

"NO! You don't understand Peeta." He screeched at me. He threw the liquor bottles against the wall right above my head. I ducked and gave him the what the heck do you think you're doing look.

" You don't understand Peeta. You can't just give her your love sick puppy eyes and have her fall right into your arms." He sat back on the couch with a solemn and defeated look on his face. " She's broken Peeta...broken." Putting his head onto his head, he took a deep breath. His shoulders rose and shook with each heavy intake of breath.

"I can fix her. I swear I can fix her and be there for her." I was a little disappointed in him for the lack of faith. "I don't understand why you don't think I can do it?" I whispered to him feeling put down.

"Peeta its not that I don't want you to succeed it's just I think Katniss will take a lot more work and care then you realize. She doesn't respond and her eyes say she's at war with herself. She just sits in the chair by the window looking out into that damn meadow." He got up to grab another liquor bottle, " she just sits there doing nothing. Her eyes look like they are a million miles, oceans, and rivers away." He took a swig and gagged. " I go there everyday for a few hours and just watch her. Since we have gotten back to twelve she hasn't looked at me once."

I stare at him with a hard expression as he continues, " the girl we once knew has disappeared. The girl on fire has burned out. Im not saying you can't do it, heck you're the only one that could pull her out of this, but it's going to take time and patience. It will get extremely frustrating and she will probably hate everyone including you for awhile. But Peeta you need to help her and save her." Haymitch took one last swig and past out right on his cracked leather couch that smelled of mildew and stale piss.

I stared at him for a few minutes thinking about how much he was actually worrying about Katniss. How he observed how much pain she was in. granted we all had our losses and stressful times but he seemed lost with the thought of not being able to help her. Drinking and stress had aged him, there was frown lines around his mouth and he seemed 20 years older than he actually was. I took the liquor bottle out of his hands and poured it down the drain. I would come back another day to pour the rest of his hard liquor down the drain. Since the revolt was over it was time to sober up. I cleaned up old dishes and put some things away before leaving Haymitch and going back to my house.

I walked up the stairs and fell right into bed. The long day of traveling had left me drowsy. Once my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.

Waking up had to be the hardest part of the day. the blankets had accepted me into a warm embrace. I didn't want to disappoint them so I stay cuddle up in my down comforter for 15 more minutes. Tossing off the comforter sitting upright I started to stretch. POP POP POP my back start to crack. Turning from side to side, touch my toes, and reach for the ceiling. That was my old man stretch routine. I put on a pair of running pants and made my way down stairs to go for a morning run.

Starting at a slow jog I thought about Katniss and all that has happened. One memory really hit me.

"Peeta you need to eat." Katniss said with a worried tone. "You need to stay strong and ALIVE."

"Not before you have any." I passed back the broth back to the girl I had been in love with since kindergarten. She tried handing me the bowl of lukewarm broth. Barely opening my tired eyes I looked at her, I shut my mouth as tight as I could until she would take a small sip.

"Fine! See," she took a small sip of it before raising her eyebrows. Her brown hair was dry and tangled into something that had a resemblance to a birds nest. And her faces had spots of dried blood on it that had crusted. But her eyes were still like an overcast sea and she had the look of a stubborn mule. Even though she looked terrible I thought she was the most interesting and beautiful girl alive. She held the broth to my lips, looking at me expectantly.

"Drink, now." I slowly took a sip. We took small sips until the broth was gone. I started to close my heavy lidded eyes. She slowly kissed my lips. Soft and almost like they weren't actually touching. After her small tender lips left mine I fell into the only somewhat peaceful sleep in the Hunger Games.

I slowed to a jog as I approached the Victors Village. The path was rocky and I was exhausted from running 10 miles. Now a days that was the only way to keep myself and my soul sane. My t-shirt was soaked through with sweat. I started to pull off my gross piece of clothing, but I didn't want any onlookers to feel uncomfortable so I put the hem back down. I passed Katniss's house and looked in to the window. She sat there in a chair just staring out the window. Her eyes seemed millions of miles away. She looked at nothing, lost in her own hell. Turning back around I decided to go to her house after I got a shower and picked up around the house.

I turned my shower onto the hottest setting it was capable of and peeled off my sweat soaked clothing. I stepped into the sleek white tile shower that the former capital had designed. I had to admit it was a great shower. The shower had 15 different settings ranging from self scrubber to steamer. It also had built in scents that if you pushed a button the shower would fill up with the scent of fresh cut grass or roses. I stepped into my amazing and let the hot water relax my tense muscles. I pressed the button for soap and lathered every square inch of my body. I spent another 20 minutes in the shower thinking about nothing before I decided it was time to get out. My hands were also started to prune. I grab my ragged old towel and dried off. I walked into my bedroom and grabbed pants and a little t-shirt. That was my normal uniform since living in 13 for so long. I towel dried my hair and walked down stairs to my stainless steel kitchen.

Remembering cheese buns were Katniss's favorite before the revolution. I grabbed all the ingredients and started to make the bread that I knew from heart. The dough felt natural beneath my hands. It squished and rolled underneath my experienced fingers. I missed the peace I felt when making bread or any type of pastry. A certain calmness settled over me as I kneaded in each ingredient. After folding as much love as I could into the dough I put it in the oven and covered it with cheese.

I sat on my plush couch that faced the windows that overlooked a few overgrown trees and a patch of drooping roses. I hated the sight of them and wanted them gone. They looked miserable, dead, and gloomy. After I visited Katniss today I would go and dig up those ugly stupid roses and start planting things that made someone smile not grimace. The looked like it would be overcast all day and a good day just to cuddle up by the fire. The cheese bun alarm sounded while I was still looking outside. I pulled them out and my mouth drooled as I opened the oven door. Putting them in a basket and burning my hands I was out the door in seconds and walking over to Katniss's.

I knocked on the door tentatively at first unsure if she would let me in. I waited a minute and heard no footsteps behind the door. I knocked again louder incase she couldn't hear me. I waited for 5 minutes with still no response and that's when Haymitch walked out of his house.

"Boy, she's not coming to the door. Just go in she doesn't really get up or acknowledge anything." Then he walked toward the direction of the market, where he'd probably buy more hard liquor and a piece of meat for this week.

I hesitated for a moment, it felt very improper just to walk in. I guess we both had been through so much that it didn't really matter anymore. I twisted the brass door handle and slowly pushed the door in.


End file.
